Decades of underfunding and inattention have jeopardized the ability of our nation's infrastructure to support our economy and facilitate our way of life. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) today released its 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure - assigning a cumulative grade of D to the nation's infrastructure and noting a five-year investment need of $2.2 trillion from all levels of government and the private sector. Since ASCE's last assessment in 2005 there has been little change in the condition of the nation's roads, bridges, drinking water systems and other public works, and the cost of improvement has increased by more than half a trillion dollars.
Interior Ignored Science When Limiting Water to Grand Canyon
Interior Department officials ignored key scientific findings when they limited water flows in the Grand Canyon to optimize generation of electric power there, risking damage to the ecology of the spectacular national landmark, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.
A Jan. 15 memo written by Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Steve Martin suggests that the department produced a flawed environmental assessment to defend its actions against environmentalists in court.
Israel threatens to assassinate Hamas PM
A top Israeli official has threatened to murder Hamas Premier Ismail Haniya if the group keeps Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in custody.
"As long as Gilad Shalit doesn't see the light of day, you won't see the light of day. As long as Shalit doesn't go free, you and your friends will not be free. We won't hesitate to send you on the way we sent Yassin and Rantissi," Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz was quoted by Haaretz as saying.
Former nightclub bouncer Lieberman set to hold balance of power after Israeli elections
A former nightclub bouncer viewed as an anti-Arab extremist is the main political beneficiary of the Gaza war and could hold the balance of power in a new parliament after elections.
Mr Lieberman, 50, has a long history of verbal attacks on Arabs - not just Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories, but his fellow citizens in Israel. In 2003, he was reported to have suggested that Palestinian prisoners being released from Israeli jails should be bussed to the Dead Sea and drowned.
TVNL Comment: But if anyone dares to compare this guy to Hitler they are tagged as anti-Semite, which is bad. But being anti-Arab to the point of Hitler like rhetoric is just fine.
Scientists Not So Sure 'Doomsday Machine' Won't Destroy World
Still worried that the Large Hadron Collider will create a black hole that will destroy the Earth when it's finally switched on this summer?
Um, well, you may have a point.
Three physicists have reexamined the math surrounding the creation of microscopic black holes in the Switzerland-based LHC, the world's largest particle collider, and determined that they won't simply evaporate in a millisecond as had previously been predicted.
TVNL Comment: Again we point out the REAL threats to our lives. Men in caves don't threaten the world. The real threats are right in front of us and we never even notice them.
Engineers give U.S. infrastructure poor grades
U.S. roads, airports, schools, levees, dams, and other infrastructure are in overall poor shape and require a $2.2 trillion investment to bring them up to par, an engineering group said on Wednesday.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave infrastructure a grade of "D" as U.S. President Barack Obama seeks $825 billion in extra government spending and tax cuts to ease the economic crisis.
Studies Find Mercury in Much U.S. Corn Syrup
Many common foods made using commercial high fructose corn syrup contain mercury as well, researchers reported on Tuesday, while another study suggested the corn syrup itself is contaminated.
In one study, published in the journal Environmental Health, former Food and Drug Administration scientist Renee Dufault and colleagues tested 20 samples of high fructose corn syrup and found detectable mercury in nine of the 20 samples.
UK government must release cabinet minutes on lead-up to Iraq war
Secret government discussions about the Iraq war are to be disclosed after an information tribunal today ordered the release of cabinet minutes from 2003.
The decision follows a lengthy battle by campaigners, who have argued that the public interest in learning what was said about the planned invasion outweighs the public interest in cabinet discussions being kept secret.
Army rabbi 'gave out hate leaflet to troops'
The Israeli army's chief rabbinate gave soldiers preparing to enter the Gaza Strip a booklet implying that all Palestinians are their mortal enemies and advising them that cruelty is sometimes a "good attribute".
In another, the army rabbinate appears to be encouraging soldiers to disregard the international laws of war aimed at protecting civilians, according to Breaking the Silence, the group of Israeli ex-soldiers who disclosed its existence. The booklet cites the renowned medieval Jewish sage Maimonides as saying that "one must not be enticed by the folly of the Gentiles who have mercy for the cruel".
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